Five Who Made a Difference: Rick Maguire improves the playing fields at North Mac

Thursday

Jul 3, 2014 at 10:13 PMJul 3, 2014 at 10:19 PM

If he sees a way to improve an outdoor sports facility in the North Mac school district, Rick Maguire isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

By Dave KaneStaff Writer

This is the final part of a five-part series this week where The State Journal-Register recognizes “Five Who Made a Difference.” The annual series in our sports section highlights the efforts of people who work behind the scenes in Springfield-area sports. Read the earlier parts of the series.

If he sees a way to improve an outdoor sports facility in the North Mac school district, Rick Maguire isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

After all, Maguire deals with dirt on a full-time basis. So what are a few more hours of pushing soil if it means a kid from Girard, Virden, Thayer or Nilwood gets to play on a better ball diamond or football field?

“So many kids have nothing to do after school, and they just go home,” said the 51-year-old Maguire, who owns a Virden-area excavation business. “Having sports programs keeps the kids active, and you have to have nice facilities.

“But a school district's primary goal is education. It's hard to fund sports when you're cutting teachers and other things. I guess that's why we do what we do.”

Maguire is quick to credit other individuals (including his own Maguire Backhoe employees), businesses and booster organizations that have rolled up their sleeves or opened their wallets to improve athletic fields in Virden and Girard.

“Anytime I pick up the phone,” Maguire said, “It's always, ‘No problem. When do you need it?' I've yet to have anyone say no. That's very rewarding. It means a lot.”

If you've noticed improvements at a North Mac outdoor facility, it's very likely Maguire had something to do with it.

“Our booster club and Gridiron Club have helped,” said North Mac athletic director John Downs, referring to the recent project at the north campus football field in Virden.

“But Rick is the guy. He gets things organized and he makes it happen. He gets things set up, and he gets people to donate their time. He does things for the right reasons. A lot of people in small towns help out, but he goes above and beyond.”

Football fix-up

The most recent project, the north campus football field where the Panthers play their varsity home games, is still in progress. But everyone involved is confident that, with Mother Nature's help, it will be ready when North Mac hosts New Berlin in the season opener Aug. 29.

“Rick came out two years ago and we talked,” said North Mac football coach J.D. Lorton. “We had the worst playing surface in the (Sangamo) conference.

“Rick wanted to fix it, and he spearheaded the project with the help of our Gridiron Club and the Sports Boosters. But a lot of times it's basically him and his guys out there.

“He just wants the kids to have a quality place to play. You won't find a better human being than Rick Maguire.”

Beginning this spring, Maguire said the original sod was stripped off; the field was crowned in the center after being crowned off to one side previously, and the whole field was reshaped.

Downs said the Sports Boosters and the school district are paying for the irrigation system, and the school's Gridiron Club is paying for the grass seed planted by Marc Bielby of Can Am Landscaping in Girard. Downs added its uncertain whether new goal posts will be installed, but the Gridiron Club could cover the cost if needed.

“It's green; it's coming up,” Maguire said of the new grass. “It's better than what they played on last year, and next year it'll be a great field.”

Downs said it's only a “guesstimate,” but he said the project saved the school district several thousand dollars.

“It was really a community project when you look at everyone who helped,” Downs said. “But Rick was the force behind it.”

Brett's field

This follows projects at the North Mac baseball field (including a new grass infield), the Brian E. Seifert Memorial Field (baseball) in Girard, and three youth baseball fields in Virden.

But Maguire's first hands-on project served as a tribute to one of his five children: Brett Ann Maguire, who was a Virden High School sophomore when she was killed in an auto accident in the spring of 2004.

Virden already was looking into developing a new softball field on its campus, and Rick had been consulted about potential costs. But the loss of Brett, who counted softball among her pursuits, led to a volunteer effort that created Brett Ann Maguire Memorial Field in the spring of 2005.

In a cruel twist of fate, Rick's father, Dick Maguire, died a few days before the softball field was dedicated.

“It always has a place in our hearts,” Rick said of the softball field. “Every year we try to redo something at the field, just put a little money toward it.

“There's still a fund at the bank in Brett's name. If we need to do something at the field, we can take it out of that — or just make a phone call to somebody.”

Feeling fulfilled

Rick's wife of 32 years, Jane Maguire, admitted there are times she wishes Rick was home instead of working on a pitcher's mound or installing a sprinkler system. But given who Rick is helping and the satisfaction he draws from it, Jane said it's worth it.

“I support him wholeheartedly,” Jane said. “It makes him feel so good. He works hard with his (excavation) business, but the other things he does give him a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment.”

Rick said there aren't any more projects on the drawing board, but that doesn't mean there won't be.

“I heard a comment the other day, not from Rick, but someone said, ‘You know, we need a new track,'” Jane said. “That wouldn't suprise me at all. Sometimes that's all it takes, one comment.”

There's no doubt Rick would be willing to listen. If he can make an investment in his own children or others in the North Mac district, he figures it's time and money well spent.

“We make pretty good money, but we spend it on the kids and go everywhere,” Rick said of his family. “When I go, I'm not going to have regrets and say, ‘Boy, I wish I would've done that.'

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